This weekend in and around Dallas will be mostly a local affair, with only one of the events - a well-known comedian - coming from outside the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Choices include five theater events, a sketch comedy show, two symphony concerts, three dance productions, a flower festival, and a museum opening and closing significant exhibitions.
Below are the best ways to spend your free time this weekend. Want more options? Lucky for you, we have a much longer list of the city's best events.
Thursday, February 20
Echo Theatre presents Catch as Catch Can
Long-time neighbors Theresa Phelan and Roberta Lavecchia enjoy sharing family gossip over a plate of rainbow cookies. Theresa’s son Tim is back in town and newly engaged to a Korean American woman. Roberta’s son, Robbie, lives at home and is smarting from a divorce. Her daughter, Daniela, is waiting for her boyfriend to propose. Two blue collar New England families grapple with a spiraling crisis that threatens relationships and their very identities. The production, in which three actors take on six roles, crossing both generation and gender, runs through March 1 at Bath House Cultural Center.
Bishop Arts Theatre Center presents The Stamped Project 4th Annual Banned Books Festival
The Stamped Project is a collection of short plays inspired by Jason Reynolds' book, Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You. The book is adapted from the work of Dr. Ibram X. Kendi, who will attend the March 1 matinee performance. Participating playwrights will include Camika Spencer, Ashley White, Aaron Zilbermann, Maryam Baig, Straton Rushing, and Calvin Walker. The festival runs through March 2 at Bishop Arts Theatre Center. (UPDATE: Due to the inclement weather, the preview performances on February 20 and 21 have been canceled.)
Friday, February 21
Family Music Theatre presents Anastasia
Based on the 1997 animated film of the same name, Anastasia adapts the legend of Anastasia, who was rumored to have escaped and survived the execution of the Russian Imperial family. The show transports the audience from twilight of the Russian Empire to the euphoria of Paris in the 1920s as a brave young woman sets out to discover the mystery of her past. The musical includes songs from the film such as "Once Upon a December," "A Rumor in Saint Petersburg," and "Journey to the Past." The production runs through March 8 at New Vida Church of God.
Eleven 11 Productions presents Most Likely Forever Yours - A Sketch Comedy Revue
Most Likely Forever Yours is a Second City-style sketch comedy revue that explores the joy, pain, and fear of loving and being loved. The show will be created by Dallas writers and performers who trained at comedy venues like The Second City, The Groundlings, I.O. Chicago, and The Annoyance. The production, part of AT&T Performing Arts Center's Elevator Project, will have four performances through Sunday at Wyly Theatre.
Dallas Symphony Orchestra presents "Let’s Groove Tonight: Motown & The Philly Sound"
Principal Pops Conductor Jeff Tyzik and the DSO Pops will dive into Motown and the Philly Sound with "Let's Groove Tonight." Performers will include Broadway star Chester Gregory and vocal powerhouses Ashley Jayy and Brik.Liam, who will sing and play Motown favorites like “I Heard it Through the Grapevine,” “Don’t Leave Me This Way,” and “I’m Coming Out,” and Philly Sound classics like “Ain’t No Stopping Us Now,” “You’ll Never Find Another Love Like Mine,” “You Make Me Feel Brand New,” and “Me and Mrs. Jones.” There will be three performances through Sunday at Meyerson Symphony Center.
Improv Addison presents Craig Ferguson
Craig Ferguson is a Scottish-American television host, stand-up comedian, writer, actor, director, producer and voice artist. He began his career in the U.S. on The Drew Carey Show, but is best known as the host of The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, which ran from 2005 to 2014. He'll perform six times through Sunday at Improv Addison.
Teatro Dallas presents Nuevo Mundo (A New Directors Festival)
Weekend two of Teatro Dallas' Nuevo Mundo, a festival that incubates new directors and playwrights, will feature Bright Half Life, written by Tanya Barfield and directed by Lauren Secrest under the mentorship of Sasha Maya Ada. Through a kaleidoscopic blend of memories, the play captures the evolving relationship between Vicky and Erica, two complex individuals whose lives intertwine in fragmented yet vivid scenes. Performances take place at Latino Cultural Center on Friday and Saturday.
Pocket Sandwich Theatre presents Laughter on the 23rd Floor
Laughter on the 23rd Floor takes place in the bustling offices of The Max Prince Show, a television variety program. Drawing inspiration from playwright Neil Simon's early days as a staff writer for Sid Caesar's Your Show of Shows, the play captures the chaotic and hilarious antics of the overworked writing team. They race to outdo each other with sharp-witted gags and zingers, all while vying for the approval of the eccentric and unpredictable star. The production runs through March 29 at Pocket Sandwich Theatre in Carrollton.
Bruce Wood Dance presents Wood/Shop
Bruce Wood Dance will present Wood/Shop, an up-close dance experience in their studios featuring new creations by company dancers Alex Brown, Kevyn Butler, Domingo Estrada, Jr., Weaver Rhodes, Gabriel Rocha, Mia Rosin, Megan Storey, Elliott Trahan, Cole Vernon, and Seth York. There will be three performances through Sunday at Bruce Wood Dance Gallery.
Ballet North Texas presents epək
Ballet North Texas will present epək, where audiences can step into an exploration of time. The production delves into the very fabric of people's existence. The program is designed to challenge and captivate, featuring new works that dissect the essence of time and its profound impact on people's lives. There will be performances on Friday and Saturday at Moody Performance Hall.
Saturday, February 22
Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden presents Dallas Blooms: Outside the Ordinary
Despite the frigid temps earlier this week, Dallas Blooms will kick off to showcase more than 500,000 spring-blooming bulbs. The display will include 350,000 tulips, along with daffodils, hyacinths, and cherry blossoms. As the festival unfolds, the gardens evolve with the colors of vivid azaleas and cherry trees. This year’s festival invites guests to go "Outside the Ordinary" with sculptures by the late Seward Johnson, a celebrated American artist renowned for his life-size, hyper-realistic bronze figures that capture everyday people in familiar moments. The event runs through April 13 at Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden.
Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra presents "A Night at Hogwarts: The Music of Harry Potter"
The Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra will brings the enchanting world of Harry Potter to life as they journey through musical moments from the films. From the soaring strings of “Hedwig’s Theme” to the thrilling “Nimbus 2000,” and the majestic beauty of “Fawkes the Phoenix,” this concert will transport the audience straight to the wizarding world. The orchestra will make a rare appearance outside Fort Worth, playing for one night only at the Arlington ISD Center for Visual and Performing Arts.
Eisemann Center presents Momix: Alice
Known internationally for presenting works of exceptional inventiveness and physical beauty, MOMIX is a company of dancer-illusionists under the direction of Moses Pendleton. Travel down the rabbit hole MOMIX-style with Pendleton’s newest creation, Alice, inspired by Lewis Carroll’s classic Alice in Wonderland. As Alice’s body grows and shrinks and grows again, Pendleton’s dancers extend themselves by means of props, ropes, and other dancers. The performance takes place at Eisemann Center for Performing Arts in Richardson.
Sunday, February 23
Dallas Museum of Art opening and closing
Sunday will be moving day at the Dallas Museum of Art, with one exhibition opening and another closing. Opening is "Marisol: A Retrospective," the most significant retrospective to date dedicated to the art of Marisol, who was lauded as one of the most influential artists of the mid-1960s for her delightfully satirical and deceptively political life-size totemic figures and her enigmatic glamour. Closing is "Frida: Beyond the Myth," which brings together approximately 60 works by Frida Kahlo and her contemporaries to explore the life of one of the most revered artists of the 20th century.
Dallas Blooms opens on February 22 at the Dallas Arboretum & Botanical Garden, running through April 13.
Pentatonix Christmas Photo courtesy of RCA Records 